Starting venlefaxin

[Lizzbear]

I’ve been anxious and down for months now and the sertraline I was on wasn’t really helping.
the doctor prescribed venlefaxin. I’ve been taking it fir a few days and feel very strange.
Has anyone else felt like this at the start but then felt much better. Or do people always feel weird on this medication as it’s quite strong?
Any experience welcome.

I've been on it for years, and feel fine. It can speed up your heart rate a bit, but I've got used to that.

Thanks for replying. What dose are you on and did you try others unsuccessfully before trying venlefaxin?

If you’ve come off sertraline that could also be a cause of your symptoms. Gp s are extraordinarily useless at understanding antidepressant withdrawal .

@grannygrinch raises a good point. It could be the sertraline withdrawal. I take 150mg venlafaxine, 75mg wasn't effective.

Thanks all. I hadn’t really thought about the withdrawal from sertraline!

Can I ask if you felt strange and anxious im the first week of taking it? I feel worse at the moment.

I started venlafaxine 3 months ago and I'm so glad I did, I feel infinitely better. Not 100% but a massive improvement. I didn't get any side effects at all, I suspect you're having withdrawals from ending the sertraline. I take 150mg daily.

Thanks Pearlsteapot. Thats helpful advice. I probably am having withdrawal fr
sertraline.

Keep an eye on it, anti SSRI or NSRI can cause increased anxiety or worsening of symptoms in the first 4 weeks and it's really important that you let your GP know if it gets too bad. Best to tell them sooner rather than later so they can adjust your treatment rather than just trying to ride it out.

I’ve been on it for a few years. I can’t remember feeling strange when I started, although I feel dreadful if I forget to take it now. Brain zaps, off balance, foggy… and I’m only on 75mg! No idea how I’ll get off it!

Did you come off the sertraline cold turkey? It’s recommended to taper down slowly - my CBT therapist actually recommended that whatever the GP suggested, to do it twice as slowly.

I came off the sertraline a few months ago but was on it for years. I then started vortioxetine but that didn’t stop the anxiety. I’ve gone straight from vortioxetine on to venlefaxin. I know!
Ive never chopped snd changed so much before. I panic when I don’t feel better, or feel worse.